Whistler, Canada

The ultimate guide to Whistler ski holidays in 2019 & 2020.

Consistently voted near, if not at the top of almost every skier’s dream destination as well as most official rankings, Whistler has planted its roots very deeply and is there to stay. This monolithic resort has hosted events like the 2010 Olympics and continues to draw in athletes, holiday makers and anyone else who visits with an intense, immeasurable and undiminishing pull.

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboard

At a glance: • Largest ski area in North America • Consistently voted best in the world

Great for: • Groups • Families • Non-skiers

Consistently voted near, if not at the top of almost every skier’s dream destination as well as most official rankings, Whistler has planted its roots very deeply and is there to stay. This monolithic resort has hosted events like the 2010 Olympics and continues to draw in athletes, holiday makers and anyone else who visits with an intense, immeasurable and undiminishing pull.

Whistler Ski Resort

Established in 1966 the Canadian ski resort Whistler lies at 675 metres altitude in the British Columbia region of the Canadian Coast Range.

With its pedestrianised streets, size and attractive architecture, the village at the base of the mountain matches perfectly to the world’s largest ski area. Its diversity, buzzing vibe and class can be immediately sensed upon setting foot in the area. Whilst originally giving the feel of intense and sole focus on the mountain, the myriad of bars, shops and restaurants open up the door of possibilities for the non-skier, whether it’s perusing the fine clothing of store specialising in cashmere, or viewing some of the art in the galleries. Of course, food within the village is varied and extensive, from the luxury fine dining of the Bearfoot Bistro, to the cheap but oh-so-delicious pizza slices of Fat Tony’s. If you’re looking for a drink, Merlins on Blackcomb and the Longhorn Saloon will more than do you proud, with Moe-Joes or Garfinkel’s keeping you partying all night.

Whilst many of the great European ski resorts tend to rest on their laurels, Whistler has shot up through the ranks to become one of the strongest contenders for the much disputed title of 'World's Greatest Ski Resort'. The twin-prionged assault involves having phenomonally good skiing, with one of the world's greatest high-speed lift systems and on the ground a vast array of apres-ski alternatives and comprehensive facilities.

Snow Report

Top

5cm

Base

246cm

Forecast

246cm

Web Cam

Downhill Runs:

4757 acres

Beginner slopes:

25%

Intermediate:

38%

Advanced slopes:

12%

Lift Pass Price:

$624 (adult 6 day)

Nearby resorts:

Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Whistler

There is literally no best way to start describing a ski area that spans two mountains and is larger than a colossal 8,000 acres. If you think you can’t find the right terrain for you here, you’re just too picky.

Setting out on skis in this resort is an absolute dream; the Ski School is fantastic, catering to the customer’s every need. The Magic Chair is perfect for your first venture up the mountain after the carpet, or for the more confident novices, hit up Whiskey Jack, then Olympic for a long run back to village.

Intermediates will revel in the range of terrain, which should improve them into a more rounded skier if approached properly. On Blackcomb, skiing Slingshot can only be described as what you imagine it feels like to be water in a river; gracefully flowing in some areas, then shot out in a roaring surge in others - well worth a visit early in the morning.

Advanced skiers will be dumbstruck at the variety of terrain on offer in the ski area; high altitude chutes like The Coffin, the numerous Bowls, trees under the Peak to Peak Gondola, the men’s 2010 Olympic Downhill run or just dropping off Air Jordan to name a few.

A plethora of parks across 99 acres will keep the park rats busy, from the Big Easy Terrain Garden off Last Resort – a fantastic entry level park – to the XL Park, reserved only for the best of best.

Whistler Apres Ski

Once again Whistler has a huge choice of alternatives and extras to the downhill sliding experience. The Meadow Park Sports Centre has a six lane pool and attached fun pool as well as sauna, steam room and hot tub. There's also an integral indoor ice rink, squash courts and a fitness centre. There are also several indoor tennis courts around the resort and an indoor climbing gym opened in December 2006. Whistler has hair and beauty salons, a museum, public library, laundry and dry cleaning services, cinema and video rentals, fitness centres, aerobic classes, weight training, massage and spa facilities. Back in the great outdoors, fishing is popular in Whistler year round and the resort employs special guides to show you to the best spots. 'Flightseeing' by helicopter or 'floatplane', paragliding, snow shoe hikes, sleigh rides and snowmobiling are other popular diversions. In addition, the resort offers a range of tours to destinations such as Vancouver for shopping and sight-seeing, or eagle watching in the nearby Brackendale sanctuary.

Best time to go

Best time to ski Whistler

When is the best time to ski Whistler?

The direction which the various Whistler slopes face can make or break your ski holiday. To guarantee good snow conditions, choose a resort with piste which face the right way for the time of year you're travelling.

In the coldest winter months of January and February pick a resort with sunny south facing slopes, so your days on the snow doesn't feel like a polar expedition. Conversely, in the warmest spring skiing months of March and especially April, a resort with cool and shady north facing trails will ensure you're not riding on slush, but benefitting from best late season snow. The best destinations have areas which face in all directions so that you're guaranteed greating conditions whatever the weather. Whistler has slopes facing N, S, E, W.

Peak Dates

Spend Christmas in Whistler and you’re almost guaranteed to find fabulous snow down to village level. Here you're walking in a Whistler wonderland - buildings are decked with thousands of fairy lights, artisan markets sell festive treats and carolers fill the air with singing.
Browse Whistler Christmas ski holidays ‣

The New Year’s Eve firework display at Skier’s Plaza can’t be missed if you’re heading out for New Year in Whistler. Arts, crafts and entertainment are usually put on for all ages, including parties for children and teens and a get together on New Year’s Day.
Browse Whistler New Year ski holidays ‣

Half Term in Whistler makes an excellent change from the European resorts – there’s a huge ski area to roam without the school holiday crowds and with February’s average snowfall at 158cm, you’re in for a treat.
Browse Whistler Half Term ski holidays ‣

Sometimes coinciding with Spring Break or the World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Easter in Whistler is all about fun in the snow and sun. Blackcomb mountain doesn’t tend to close until late May, meaning the slopes should be in great nick. The bigger hotels put on Easter feasts, egg hunts and family crafts and competitions.
Browse Whistler Easter ski holidays ‣

Whistler Ratings & Customer Feedback

Superb

9

Good

0

Okay

0

Poor

0

Awful

0

Average Rating 5 out of 5

Whistler is brilliant, I had never been there before this holiday but now I really want to go back! The snow was fantastic and there was loads of powder. The terrain is really quite different to Europe, the mountains are much bigger and you have lots of open bowls. You’ve got plenty of skiing for all levels wi...
+ more

Jenna, Weymouth

5 out of 5

Whistler is brilliant! It has a lot of snow and fresh powder which you don’t always get in Europe. The weather just got better and better with lots of sun! The slopes are good for everyone, and the skiing is the main reason we go – I’m sure there are other things to do, we were told about the spa, but as the...
+ more

Heather, Newtownards

5 out of 5

One of the best! My son was out there for a few months (and is going back next season!) so we went to visit (and we’ll definitely go back!). One thing I would say about Whistler in general is to allow for jet lag at either side of the holiday. The ski areas have plenty for everyone. Blackcomb mountain is proba...
+ more

JKNPOH, London

5 out of 5

It's Whistler, and to be honest there isn't much more you can say about it. It's one of the top world resorts for a reason, and while I personally didn't experience Blackcomb, the fact that I didn't see any of my family throughout the day time despite off of us in the same ski school kinda gives testament to th...
+ more

Sean Stanfield,

5 out of 5

Where to start?! I think the only way to describe Whistler is that you arrive in heaven as soon as you step foot in the town or on the mountain. The skiing is incredible, you couldn’t explore every run even if you spent a season there, and you will always be pushed to the edge of your ability if you’re looki...
+ more

Tom, Sno Staff

5 out of 5

Whistler was amazing! We had quite a lot of snow which meant we could ski lots of powder and it’s such a huge area you never get bored. We were a mixed group in terms of levels, we had a beginner taking lessons who had a great time and progressed really quickly and we also had some intermediates and a couple o...
+ more

Rebecca Louise, Renfrewshire

5 out of 5

Whistler is fabulous! It’s beautiful. I would love to go back. Were beginners and the basic slopes for learning aren’t the best – they are too flat and your snowboard digs in and you can’t move anywhere. Once we got a bit better though and could go on the steeper hills and that was much better.
The facilit...
+ more

Diane, Newcastle

5 out of 5

Advanced skiers will find themselves in absolute heaven here, with more testing and thrilling terrain than you could ever imagine. Have a go at the Peak to Creek, at 5.5km it is the longest groomer in North America, making its way down over 5,000 feet of vertical to really crank up some speed at the start of th...
+ more

Harry,

5 out of 5

Whistler is heaven on earth and it even has its own lift called 7th heaven!
There are a multitude of runs on both Whistler and Blackcomb which is linked by the Peak 2 Peak. It is suitable for beginners all the way to advance technical riders.
I recommend doing ‘fresh tracks’ one morning – in particular on...
+ more

Families in Whistler

Families wax lyrical about Whistler, where the locals go all out to make holidays spectacular for everyone from tots to grandpas. The atmosphere in the village is friendly and low key, with heaps of restaurants from pizzerias like Avalanche and Fat Tony's to grills like Longhorn and Merlin's.

On top of play areas, you'll find ‘family zones' on both of Whistler's mountains, kitted out with learning areas, easy trails and beginner snow parks. If you have children between 5 and 12, look out for the ‘Kids Night Out' program - run by Whistler Kids, they provide supervision between 5:30 and 9pm including supper and activities like ice skating, tubing and XC skiing.

Teddy Bear Daycare and Babysitting Whistler are two of the main companies offering excellent childcare outside of the hotels. If you need to rent things like cots, buggies, high-chairs, and toys there's a company called Baby's on the Go who seem to have all bases covered (and then some).

Teens are far from forgotten, with awesome snow parks, teen ski classes and the youth centre's games tables, consoles and music.

GroupsGroup Holidays Whistler

With so much going on in the village and on the mountains, Whistler is a terrific resort for groups.

Over 200 trails and some of the best snow parks on the planet covers every base for all skiers and boarders here. Beginners and improvers will be expertly looked after in the ski school, where you can split into classes depending on age and ability or book a private lesson together. If you have enough confident snow lovers coming along (groups of 4-5 are best), a heli-skiing or snowboarding trip can make for the ultimate group activity.

Extend the invite to non-skiers, who'll be more than happy exploring the village's shops, sights and spas (the open-air baths at Scandinave Spa are worth the trip in themselves). With activities like tubing, dog sledding and snowmobiling, there's nothing stopping the whole group from enjoying the snow together.

And last, but far from least, when it comes to activities after dark, the après ski and nightlife is vast and varied, favourites being the Garibaldi Lift Co., Garfinkel's and Maxx Fish.

get deals and& discounts firstby email >>

Book with the confidence that your package holiday is always protected against supplier failure.

Every Sno ski holiday packaged with flights is ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.
All our suppliers are ATOL bonded, so your holiday money is safe. In addition to this, payments for your holiday are
held in trust, by NatWest bank and the Travel Trust, who insure every booking against supplier failure.

"Loved Whistler!"

Jenna, Weymouth

5/ out of 5

Whistler is brilliant, I had never been there before this holiday but now I really want to go back! The snow was fantastic and there was loads of powder. The terrain is really quite different to Europe, the mountains are much bigger and you have lots of open bowls. You’ve got plenty of skiing for all levels with quite a few blues and reds as well as blacks and double diamond blacks. The lifts are not crowded so you rarely have to queue and the people who work at the lifts are all really friendly. I really liked the fact that you could ski wherever you wanted.
Although some of the skiing is tricky, there were loads of families with really young kids. The town is a big ski village and gets quite busy at night (like all ski resorts) and as well as family stuff there are some really cool bars. There are also loads of nice restaurants where the food isn’t too expensive – you can get a nice fine dining dinner if you wanted one and pay the price, but there are also cheaper places to.
I’d recommend anyone to go here, my advice would be to make the most of the snow! And if you can get up on Blackcombe Mountain, you can hike up to the glacier and ski down the back to the bowl – the views from the top are fantastic.

"Brilliant place to ski, so friendly"

Heather, Newtownards

5/ out of 5

Whistler is brilliant! It has a lot of snow and fresh powder which you don’t always get in Europe. The weather just got better and better with lots of sun! The slopes are good for everyone, and the skiing is the main reason we go – I’m sure there are other things to do, we were told about the spa, but as the weather was so good we just skied, ate and slept. It’s just so friendly compared to European resorts; everyone talks to you, asking you where you’re from and saying how much they love living there. They can’t do enough for you. The runs never get too busy (they never have the crowding like Easter in France where you queue for ages). The crowds space out and you have the opportunity to go straight over to Blackcomb Mountain where the runs are quieter. The views are amazing as you go between the two mountains, even if you’re not a skiing you should take the lift just once.

"One of the best places to ski"

JKNPOH, London

5/ out of 5

One of the best! My son was out there for a few months (and is going back next season!) so we went to visit (and we’ll definitely go back!). One thing I would say about Whistler in general is to allow for jet lag at either side of the holiday. The ski areas have plenty for everyone. Blackcomb mountain is probably more blue and green by European standards for improvers and intermediates, while for advanced skiers the opportunity is endless. The Irish bar is worth a trip just to say you’ve done it, and Dusty’s - an après ski place in Creek Valley - is great fun. There’s a beautiful Italian restaurant in the centre of Whistler town where the food is gorgeous. We were only there for 5-6 days and there’s plenty more we could have done!

"What more would you expect"

Sean Stanfield

5/ out of 5

It's Whistler, and to be honest there isn't much more you can say about it. It's one of the top world resorts for a reason, and while I personally didn't experience Blackcomb, the fact that I didn't see any of my family throughout the day time despite off of us in the same ski school kinda gives testament to the massive range of piste in the resort. The snow park was great fun, but going at Easter peak season in a fairly warm year meant it wasn't a winter wonderland. Nonetheless, suntans were achieved, and ski jackets weren't necessary making it an all round fun experience. It's proximity to Vancouver also meant we could go for 2 weeks, giving us loads of time to get over the time difference, and experience a proper Canadian city and ski resort.

"Heaven - going back ASAP!"

Tom, Sno Staff

5/ out of 5

Where to start?! I think the only way to describe Whistler is that you arrive in heaven as soon as you step foot in the town or on the mountain. The skiing is incredible, you couldn’t explore every run even if you spent a season there, and you will always be pushed to the edge of your ability if you’re looking for it. We ventured up to Spankey’s Ladder and Couloir Extreme on the last day, a sure fire way to scare yourself senseless with that incredible hit of adrenaline on the side. The après scene is also worth raving about; we popped into Moe Joe’s a few nights which was always buzzing, especially on a Friday, Longhorn was a great place to chill and people-watch after a day on the slopes and Dusty’s, down in Creekside, made the most incredible breakfasts ever. I have no bad word to say about Whistler, and want to head back as soon as I physically can.

"Amazing! Go here if you can!"

Rebecca Louise, Renfrewshire

5/ out of 5

Whistler was amazing! We had quite a lot of snow which meant we could ski lots of powder and it’s such a huge area you never get bored. We were a mixed group in terms of levels, we had a beginner taking lessons who had a great time and progressed really quickly and we also had some intermediates and a couple of advanced skiers who spent a lot of time in the parks. I would definitely recommend Whistler to other groups as everyone had a brilliant time and there were plenty of places to meet up for lunch on the mountain.
We also hired some skidoos which we did in the evening when the runs were shut, you go up the side of the runs, stop off in a lodge for a hot chocolate, then watch the sun set . There’s a wee place you can walk to and hire snowshoes and Nordic skis and there are some good routes in the area which I’d recommend doing. There are tonnes of places to go for food and drink, we found a place that did good Margaritas and there was another nice Mexican place. The Old Spaghetti Factory was really good too.

"Would love to come back"

Diane, Newcastle

5/ out of 5

Whistler is fabulous! It’s beautiful. I would love to go back. Were beginners and the basic slopes for learning aren’t the best – they are too flat and your snowboard digs in and you can’t move anywhere. Once we got a bit better though and could go on the steeper hills and that was much better.
The facilities in the resort are fantastic. The town is lovely, it’s quite village-like. There are lots of places to eat and some good shops. The snowboarding gear is cheaper over there. You could come over without any kit and get everything in Whistler. There’s an amazing bar called ‘Amsterdam’ which has good food and there was a live band there. We also went to another gorgeous place for dinner but I’ve forgotten the name – there are lots of good places though.

"To do's for experts in whistler"

Harry

5/ out of 5

Advanced skiers will find themselves in absolute heaven here, with more testing and thrilling terrain than you could ever imagine. Have a go at the Peak to Creek, at 5.5km it is the longest groomer in North America, making its way down over 5,000 feet of vertical to really crank up some speed at the start of the week.
Try out glacier skiing here on Blackcomb glacier where the double black blowhole is one of the most exhilarating areas for any advanced skier. Weave in and out of trees flaunting your turns down the tree line of the 7th Heaven and the gullies around the Jersey Cream. For mogul skiers, test your skills on the stomping grounds of provincial team skiers on the zipper lines of Davies Dervish and Trapline above the Glacier Creek Lodge.

"Heaven on earth!"

Kelz, Wimbledon

5/ out of 5

Whistler is heaven on earth and it even has its own lift called 7th heaven!
There are a multitude of runs on both Whistler and Blackcomb which is linked by the Peak 2 Peak. It is suitable for beginners all the way to advance technical riders.
I recommend doing ‘fresh tracks’ one morning – in particular on a powder day where you head up nice and early for all you can eat breakfast and then be amongst the first people to get out on the mountain. Head into the trees and open bowls and it feels like you’re floating on a cloud. Watching and cheering on those brave enough to drop the Air Jordan cliff from the bottom of the peak chair is a must do on a powder day which also gets you excited for all the snow available.
For the park rats, there are 2 beginner parks/gardens, 2 medium/large parks, and you will find the XL Park and superpipe over on Blackcomb.
There is an outdoor skate rink in Olympic plaza and a Tube park in upper village.
There are plenty of places to eat both on and off the mountain which will satisfy budget ski bums to foodies. For the budget conscious check out Fat Tony’s, Spitz Grill burgers, El Furniture warehouse.
Or treat yourself to Wildwood and Kypriaki Norte and/or sushi village.
If you’re looking for a party then Whistler is the place to be all nights of the week. For themed nights out check out the following:
- Monday - Tommy Africa’s legendary 80s night.
- Tuesday night go to Crystals for karaoke and wings before making a night out at Maxx Fish for Dubstep night
- Wednesday Buffalo Bills local night
- Thursday has skate jam at Garfinkls
- Sunday head over to Longhorns for locals night before making your way to Moe Joes glow party!
This is why Whistler is heaven on earth :-)